FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5268

C 282 L 17

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning notice to the licensee before a concealed pistol license expires.

Sponsors: Senators Takko, Chase, Warnick, Schoesler, King, Sheldon, Saldaña, Cleveland, Pearson, Honeyford, Hawkins, Wilson, Becker and Hasegawa.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

House Committee on Judiciary

House Committee on Appropriations

Background: The chief of police of a municipality or the sheriff of a county must, within 30 days after an application, issue a license to such person to carry a pistol concealed on their person within this state for 5 years from date of issue. If the applicant does not have a valid permanent Washington driver's license or Washington State identification card or has not been a resident of the state for the previous consecutive 90 days, the issuing authority has up to 60 days after the application to issue a license.

The chief or sheriff must check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the Washington State Patrol electronic database, the Department of Social and Health Services electronic database, and with other agencies or resources as appropriate, to determine whether the applicant is ineligible to possess a firearm or a concealed pistol license (CPL). This applies whether the applicant is applying for a new or renewing a CPL.

The CPL application must bear the full name, residential address, telephone number at the option of the applicant, date and place of birth, race, gender, description, a complete set of fingerprints, signature of the applicant, and the applicant's driver's license number or state identification card number if used for identification in applying for the CPL. The application must also contain questions about the applicant's eligibility to possess a pistol, place of birth, and whether the applicant is a United States citizen. If the applicant is not a United States citizen, the applicant must provide the applicant's country of citizenship, United States issued alien number or admission number, and the basis on which the applicant claims to be exempt from federal prohibitions on firearm possession by aliens. The applicant is not required to produce a birth certificate or other evidence of citizenship.

CPL holders may renew a CPL if they apply for renewal within 90 days before or after the expiration date of the CPL. A CPL holder renewing after the expiration date of the license must pay a late renewal penalty of $10 in addition to the renewal fee.

Summary: SHB 1100 enacted in this 2017 session is amended to provide that, if a CPL applicant provides an email address at the time of license application, the DOL may send the CPL renewal notice to the licensee's email address rather than providing the renewal notice by mail. The bill is null and void unless specifically funded in the budget with an appropriation from the Firearms Range Account.

Votes on Final Passage: